I Have An Announcement !

There was something missing in last week's worship service...did you catch what it was?

No? Well let me give you a hint. We usually do it at the end or beginning of the service, it takes about 10 minutes, and it has nothing to do with worshipping God.

You guessed it. This announcement is about announcements.

We didn't give announcements last week during the WORSHIP Service and to our amazement...everything went fine. Construction is still under way, prayer meetings are still being held, people are still excited about coming to Riverview, and as far as I could tell no one's life was affected because we didn't make official announcements about upcoming activities in the Church.

After praying through this, the other pastors have agreed our worship services will be more worshipful if we don't have to 'kick off' or conclude our worship with announcements. I know churches have been giving announcements since Moses was a pastor, but please trust me in this. God will be honored in our time of worship when our focus is on HIM, and not other distractions. In turn God will honor our faithfulness to Him by meeting all our needs according to His will and by His power.

I don't know how much of a case I need to make for this conviction, but allow me a few points:

1. Worship is supposed to be focused on God, and making announcements focuses on us and our activities.
2. It takes time away from singing praises to God, and the preaching of His Word.
3. It either starts us off on an awkward note, or forces us to end with a 'thud'.
4. No matter how hard we try announcements just don't fit in a worship service.
5. Who decides which announcements are worthy of pulpit time, and which aren't?

Plus - We will continue to announce activities:

1. On Slides before the Worship Service.
2. On the Web Page.
3. In the News Letter.
4. By E-mail Announcements.
5. In the Bulletin.
6. Through the Sunday School.
7. Through Ministry Organizations - Men's Ministry, Women's Ministry, Student Ministry, etc...
8. With Information Tables in the New Foyer.

A quick story to Illustrate:
I once had someone announce a ministry opportunity during the worship service; it turned into a 10 minute guilt trip / scolding - not to mention the 6 or 7 minute follow up video.

In a fast paced world with hectic schedules; a world in which we (the Church) are lucky to get someone's attention for 1 hour. Why take precious minutes away from focusing on God, and not being rushed to respond to His Glory, Love, and Grace?

aj

Easter Sunday

What a great day. The music was great, the crowd was great (I heard 600), and the sermon wasn't too bad...I hope. I simply want to give God praise, because He is worthy of such worship and proclamation.

I pray every Sunday will be a celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and every day will be a day we live in the Power and Hope of His glory. We are blessed to be a part of what God is doing at Riverview, and we have a responsibility to be good stewards of the grace He has showered upon us.

This week please:

• Pray for someone you know who is lost without Jesus.
• Invite one (1) person to church.
• Do something kind for someone you wouldn't normally give any attention to.

Let's see what God can do through us this Spring!

aj

A Far Death Experience

...as opposed to a 'near death experience'. Last week my blood pressure got really high. It seems Doctors prescribe medicine for a reason, and when you don't take it...bad things happen.

Sitting in our staff meeting my heart began to flutter, I felt tightness in my chest, and I had an excruciating headache. I made my way home dug up my left over blood pressure pills, and tried to rest and relax.

Fortunately my episode was not as bad as thought it was (its funny how your mind plays tricks when your heart skips ticks), but while lying there thinking "I'm coming Elizabeth...it's the big one" - my life flashed before my eyes...in slow motion. - go figure -

I probably thought all the same things every dying man thinks. What about my family? Has my life made a difference? Is this going to hurt? Truth is we will all die someday. Maybe even some of us - today. Luke 12:20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you...

My point is, there are things in life that are bigger than $3 gas, Democratic Primaries, and March Madness...there is nothing like a far death experience to help you put things in perspective.

CLEAR !!!!! -- AJ

Easter and the Wascally Wabbit

Question: What is the connection between hiding eggs, and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ?

One little boy gave this answer: Jesus’ Disciples really liked eggs, but Jesus had high cholesterol so they couldn’t eat them. When the Disciples thought He was dead and gone they decided to have eggs for breakfast. It just so happened this was the morning Jesus was raised from the dead, and appeared to His disciples. When Peter looked up and saw Jesus coming he said, “Quick fellas...hide the eggs.”

The truth is no one knows for sure the origins of Easter, but our best bet comes from Bede, a late-seventh-century historian and scholar from Anglo-Saxon England. He says Easter's name comes from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, associated with spring and fertility, and celebrated around the vernal equinox. So there you go. As Christmas was moved to coincide with the pagan celebration of winter, Easter was likely moved to coincide and replace the pagan celebration of spring. (Christianity Today, “Why Easter?” by Ted Olsen, 4/10/98)

It’s interesting that Easter is observed by the churches of the West (that would be us) on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or following the spring equinox. Meaning Easter became a "movable" feast which can occur as early as March 22 or as late as April 25. However, Eastern Orthodox churches observe Easter according to the date of the Passover festival. That being the case, this year Passover begins at sundown on April 20th making Sunday the 27th Resurrection Sunday.

Just by looking around it is easy to see that Easter has not become as commercialized as Christmas. After all, angels singing and a bouncing baby boy are much more marketable than torturing and killing an innocent man. However, many people, even Christians miss the point. When Easter is elevated to the status of a ‘holy-day’ (not to mention that we miss the date entirely) we potentially diminish the importance of the other fifty-one Sunday’s throughout the year, when in fact every Sunday is a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection.

See Ya Sunday - Andy

Bed-luh-m

I was told last night at prayer meeting the Bedlam Basketball game was in progress. At the posting of this article, I still do not know who won. I first published this article on November 21, 2006 before the OU / OSU football game.

Bedlam – (1) a scene or state of wild uproar and confusion; (2) an insane asylum or madhouse. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2005)

In 1247 the Hospital of Saint Mary of Bethlehem was founded in London, England. Three hundred years later in 1547 when the monastery was dissolved, the institution was transferred to a state run lunatic asylum, and the name was shortened to Bethlehem Hospital. If someone was considered insane, and institutionalized at that hospital, it was said they had gone to “Bethlehem”, or the way it sounded in the local dialect, the person was at ‘Betlam’. In effect the word bedlam has become a euphemism for a sixteenth century madhouse.

Now then; if you live in the state of Oklahoma, you know this is Bedlam week, and this coming Saturday Stillwater is going to be a madhouse. This is the week to not just be a fan, but a fanatic. Tens of thousands will brave the weather, traffic, and each other to attend the game. Literally, millions of dollars will be spent on tickets alone, as well as thousands more on soft drinks, and gasoline, not to mention the millions of dollars paid for merchandise, and television advertising. Sometimes we (myself included) go crazy over a three hour game that has no lasting significance in the greater scheme of life and eternity.

This year let’s get as excited about Jesus as we are the ball game. How? Be willing to invest as much money, time, energy, and passion to the Lord and His work as you are this week’s game. I promise; if you make such a commitment, you will find greater satisfaction than if your team wins, and the result is not merely bragging rights for a year, but an impact for eternity.

Unholy Trinity

Scanning Sports Illustrated today I came across an article on the Trinity College (Hartford, Conn.) squash team which has a ten year winning streak. They hold nine consecutive national titles, and it is the longest winning streak in college sports history. However what impressed me most was a sentence in the middle of the article, "Trinity, which was founded in 1823 has no religious affiliation..." (Sports Illustrated, February 11, 2008, pp.62-64)

Wow! How do you go from being named TRINITY because of the Congregational dominance in your area, and having a founding president who is an Episcopalian Bishop to - no religious affiliation whatsoever? How? By slowly turning the heat up on the frog in the pot over a one hundred eighty-five year span.

Sometimes I wonder if Trinity College is a microcosm of the American Church. We have religious names like Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian, and we have religious history, meaning our churches / denominations are not new kids on the block...but are we disconnected from our source? Is the body disconnected from the head?

Be vigilant and pray. Satan wins the greatest victory not when a church is destroyed by fires, or tornadoes, but instead Satan is most effective when a church appears to be busy, well run, and well attended...yet unaffiliated with Christ.

John 15:5
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. (NLT)

SG - AJ

Sunday Morning Miracle

I arrived at church feeling so sick Sunday morning I didn't think I could walk from my truck to the church. I had been sick since about 4:00 am, and I wasn't worth much by 9:30. However, people began praying for me, and by 10:30 I was ready to go. I honestly believe God healed me, and enabled me to preach. Praise the Lord.

God has certainly been blessing Riverview. God is moving in our Worship Services, and His Word is bearing fruit in all of us. It is exciting to watch the flock take what they learn, and apply it, and put it into active service for the Lord.

Next week we will have a GUEST PREACHER in the Morning Worship Service.
His name is Charlie Keim, son of Buddy Keim, and father of our own Jeannie McSherry.
Charlie will be here Sunday to baptise his grandson Elijah McSherry.

Let me share with you what I expect: I expect God to do something great this Sunday Morning. I'm preparing myself for a ONE DAY REVIVAL. You see we have been gifted in different ways. I am a Pastor/Teacher, and Charlie is an Evangelist, and I believe God has been using me to plant and water seeds, and He will use Charlie for the harvest.

Pray for Bro. Charlie, and pray for your friends, neighbors, family, and co-workers you might invite to hear what could be the sermon that would change their life forever...for eternity.

SG - Andy

Gone

Week - February 25-March 1

Monday through Wednesday I worked hard preparing for this coming Sunday's Message. I also visited St. Francis Hospital, and attended a Funeral on Wednesday. I go to the church early on Wednesday mornings, and stay until after church, about 8:30 PM. Thursday & Friday I was at a Missional Church Conf. in OKC...Mike, Aaron, and Dave made it a memorable one, and Friday night and Saturday I was back at OKC for the Mission Ignition Rally (Formerly R.A. Congress).

Needless to say...I've been gone. I haven't seen my family all week, and I miss them dearly. Nolan went to Mission Ignition with me, but he was hanging out with his old buddies from Hobart, so I didn't see him much on the road.

It was so beautiful when we got home as soon as I unloaded our luggage, I rigged up a couple of fishing poles, and Mason caught his first fish out of our pond. A little sun perch, but he cast out the line, hooked him, and reeled him in. After much trying, and catching and releasing two trees behind him, Nolan caught a perch as well. It was great. Mason wanted wanted to cut them up and cook them, but I told him we needed to let them grow a little. That fillet would have been the size of a Wheatthin.

I don't have any deep theological truths to contemplate, or political scandals to parse...Just that I missed my family, am glad to be home, and praying for a great day tomorrow at Riverview.

SG - AJ